Psd Ltd Early Years Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy in this warm and welcoming nursery. They demonstrate that they feel safe as they snuggle into staff for cuddles. Children are confident and eager learners, who display a can-do attitude. They have strong communication skills as they talk to each other and share opinions and ideas. Staff recognise and praise children's efforts and achievements. This helps them to grow in confidence and feel emotionally secure.

Children behave well. For example, they happily say 'please' and 'thank you', without prompting from staff. They greet their friends as they arrive with a big smile and a handshake, making their friends feel welcomed and valued. Children are confident and kind to new visitors. For example, children eagerly make 'cupcakes' in the role-play area for the inspector to 'eat'.

Staff know children extremely well and what experiences they need. For example, a majority of the children live in flats without a garden. Staff have created a 'growing' area for children to explore. Children are able to grow their own vegetables and flowers here. This helps to broaden their experiences.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work closely with parents and other professionals to help these children reach their full potential. All children make good progress and are well prepared for school when the time comes.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• The manager has high expectations for all children. She has devised a well-thought-out curriculum, which is based around children's individual needs. The manager and staff frequently reflect on what the nursery is doing well and what could be further developed. For example, the newly introduced science area has been hugely successful. Children spend extended amounts of time exploring, examining and creating here.
• Staff encourage children to have a love of books throughout the nursery. Children show great enthusiasm and focus during story time, offering ideas and suggestions about what happens next. Staff use props alongside the books to help support younger children's understanding. Children confidently choose which stories they would like to read and show a genuine passion for stories.
• Overall, children are independent and enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as handing out the water bottles at lunchtime. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to do more things for themselves, especially during routine activities, such as handwashing and getting ready to go outside. During these activities, at times, it can become rushed and staff tend to do more for children than they need to.
• Children's health is well supported across the nursery. Children are helped to understand when they need to rest. They are provided with quiet spaces and sleep times according to their personal routines. Children know why and when they need to wash their hands.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak highly of the setting and feel their children have grown in confidence since starting. The manager has developed strategies to support children's learning at home. For example, a lending library allows children to borrow books from the nursery and take these home, with information for parents on how to use these books.
• Staff are passionate about creating a stimulating and interesting environment. They plan activities based on children's interests and what they need to learn next. Staff have clear ideas about what they want children to learn. However, on occasions, during planned activities, some staff do not fully demonstrate or explain to children what they want them to learn. This can make it harder to assess if the intended learning has been fully embedded.
• Staff provide children with a good range of opportunities to support their physical development. Children carefully use pincers to pick up small objects off the floor, demonstrating their fine-motor skills. They enthusiastically use large brushes to sweep outside and move their hips as they try to spin the hula-hoops around their bodies.
• Children show a keen interest in literacy and can recognise a range of different letters. For example, during carpet time, older children confidently recognise letters. Furthermore, they suggest different objects that might start with those letters, such as 'a is for apple' and 's is for snake.'
• Children demonstrate a good understanding about the world around them. For example, children point to pictures on the wall and recognise the new King of England. Staff provide children with opportunities to learn about people who are less fortunate than them. For example, a box for food donations is available for children and their families to donate to the local food bank.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• organise routine activities to provide more opportunities for children to develop their self-help skills
• plan adult-led activities to focus teaching more precisely on the targeted learning intentions.